Maternal Mental Health Working Group
Supported through UnitedGMH’s Maternal Mental Health project, the GMHAN Maternal Mental Health Working Group will provide a global platform to connect advocates, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, development partners, and mothers with lived experience to accelerate collective action. It will complement and strengthen the growing network of national, regional, and global maternal mental health alliances by fostering collaboration, facilitating shared learning, amplifying advocacy efforts, and supporting coordinated action across countries and regions.
Join the Working Group
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Join the Working Group •
Background
Despite increasing recognition that maternal mental health is fundamental to the health and wellbeing of mothers, infants, families and communities, it remains one of the most neglected areas of global mental health. Depression, anxiety and other common mental health conditions affect millions of women worldwide during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, with the greatest treatment gaps occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These conditions are closely linked to maternal morbidity and mortality, adverse birth outcomes, child development, family wellbeing and broader social and economic outcomes.
While promising models exist across countries, efforts remain fragmented across maternal, newborn, child health and mental health communities. Greater coordination is needed to strengthen advocacy, facilitate learning, and promote integration into primary health care, with reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services serving as a key platform for implementation. This will help ensure maternal mental health is recognised as a core component of universal health coverage.
Long-Term Vision
The Working Group seeks to contribute to a future where maternal mental health is recognised as an essential component of quality maternal and newborn care, routinely integrated into primary health care systems, adequately financed, and accessible to every woman regardless of where she lives. While not a peer support service, the Working Group will provide an inclusive platform where individuals, including mothers with lived experience, can connect, learn from one another, and shape global maternal mental health priorities.
Areas of Focus
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1. Shared learning and coordination
Convene regular global learning exchanges that showcase country-led experiences and innovations, working in partnership with existing maternal mental health alliances and communities of practice to promote cross-regional learning and avoid duplication.
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2. Knowledge synthesis and dissemination
Curate and promote existing case studies, practical tools and implementation experiences in maternal mental health across different regions, while identifying gaps where new resources or guidance is needed, to support countries seeking to strengthen maternal mental health services.
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3. Coordinated policy and advocacy
Develop joint advocacy resources and messages that support governments and partners to strengthen maternal mental health within national policies, financing strategies and health system reforms.
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4. Lived experience leadership
Foster a global community of individuals with lived experience by creating opportunities for connection, shared learning, mutual encouragement, and collective advocacy. The Working Group will support meaningful leadership and participation in its governance, advocacy, communications, and knowledge-sharing activities, while strengthening links with national and regional lived experience networks.
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5. Partnership building
Strengthen collaboration across RMNCAH, mental health, and primary health care communities, complementing the work of existing global, regional, and national maternal mental health alliances by facilitating coordination, identifying opportunities for joint action, and amplifying country-led initiatives.
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6. Communications
Coordinate advocacy around key global moments, including World Maternal Mental Health Day, World Mental Health Day and relevant maternal health events, spotlighting critical activities and advocacy initiatives taking place nationally, regionally and globally.
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A diverse global network of approximately 300 members from at least 50 countries actively collaborating across regions and sectors to advance maternal mental health.
Meaningful leadership and sustained participation of at least 60 mothers with lived experience in shaping global maternal mental health advocacy and action.
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Improved coordination and alignment across global, regional, and national maternal mental health initiatives, reducing fragmentation and strengthening collective action.
Maternal mental health consistently recognised and prioritised within global mental health, PHC, RMNCAH, and universal health coverage agendas.
Stronger collaboration between the mental health, RMNCAH and PHC communities, resulting in more integrated advocacy, policy dialogue, and implementation efforts.
Increased leadership and influence of mothers with lived experience in shaping maternal mental health policies, programmes, and advocacy at global and national levels.
Greater availability and uptake of evidence-informed approaches, tools, and resources to support the integration of maternal mental health into PHC and RMNCAH services.
Increased political commitment, strategic partnerships, and sustainable investment for maternal mental health, particularly in LMICs.
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The Working Group will operate according to the following principles:
Enabling co-production with the global community
Meaningful and equitable engagement of people with lived experience
Equity, diversity and inclusion across geography, profession and lived experience
Evidence-informed advocacy and decision-making
Collaboration rather than duplication of existing initiatives
Respectful dialogue and mutual learning
Cultural responsiveness and context-specific solutions
Sustainability through integration into existing health systems and primary health care
Proposed Results
Registration for this Working Group is open!
How to join us:
Sign up for the Global Mental Health Action Network (Action Network) and select your preferred Working Groups. Register here.
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive an email inviting you to create your account for our online Community platform, Circle. Once complete, you will have access to the Working Group spaces that you selected in your registration form.
Circle helps us communicate, collaborate, and take action together as a global mental health advocacy community in real time. We look forward to seeing you on the platform!
If you are already a member of the Action Network and would like to sign up for the Working Group, please email admin@gmhan.org